Species textThis mining bee is recorded widely in England north to Warwickshire but very local. The bee has declined significantly and has apparently disappeared from many former parts of its range. It is generally very scarce in its former strongholds such as Devon, the London district and nearby Surrey Commons. The bee is known from a wide variety of habitats including heathland, grasslands, open woodland, coastal landslips and soft rock cliffs (Falk, 1991b). There is a close and possibly obligate association with germander speedwell, Veronica chamaedrys, which is the main pollen source, but other flowers are recorded, probably mostly as nectar resources. Nest burrows are dug in sandy banks and slopes in sunny situations. Large nesting aggregations appear to be unusual and the normal nesting habits are as isolated individuals or small groups. The species is the host of the RDB1 cleptoparasitic bee Nomada guttulata. References